Blonde in a boat is ‘a real tomboy’

Sarah Gosling (née Webb), 32, MBE and OBE, was in both ‘three blondes in a boat’ teams that won gold in yngling sailing at the Athens and Beijing Olympics. She has recently launched http://www.benumber1.co.uk, which aims to help fund British athletes through public and private donations

Once and for all, how do you pronounce yngling?

âInglingâ and I can categorically say, I will not be racing yngling again. It was removed from the Olympics after Beijing. The ICC seems to think itâs too expensive so theyâre replacing it with something else. Itâs only been in the Olympics twice and Sarah [fellow crew member Sarah Ayton] and I won gold in Athens [with third member Shirley Robertson] and again in Beijing [with Pippa Wilson], so we have a perfect record that canât be beaten.

How does a pretty young girl get into sailing?

I started as a six-year-old on gravel pits just south of London, which is not the average way to do it. It was a hobby I picked up from some boys who lived next-door who just took me along one day in October for some reason. It was freezing, not the best time to learn to sail, but I absolutely loved it.

Were you not interested in dolls and dressing up?

Not at all. I was a real tomboy, far more interested in climbing trees, making fires and going camping. I did try ballet for a bit but I stopped it because I wanted to go and play football instead

Whatâs it like to win Olympic gold?

Out of this world. The first time, my mother and sister were in Athens but my father wasnât. There was a day between winning and having the medal ceremony and I mentioned on the news that he wasnât there. He heard that and got on a plane without telling me. As I was about to go on to the podium, I saw him and completely fell apart. The second time was relief that you have achieved what you set out to do and complete elation. I was also newly engaged, so very emotional.

Where do you keep the medals?

Theyâre in the sock drawer. Weâre currently building a house so I might have somewhere special for them when itâs finished.

How many people have tried them on?

Thousands. I recently did a cycle ride from Landâs End to John OâGroats and Sarah and Pippa were in the support team. We did a school assembly every morning and had the golds with us and would let the children touch them. There were probably 100 a day that tried them on. Itâs all about inspiring them â that gives a lot of satisfaction.

How was meeting royalty for your honours?

The first time, I had done my cruciate ligament so I was on crutches. Sarah and I were both doing it and it was the Queen who was giving us the MBE. She requested to do us together.

A million puns spring to mind.

Quite! We were told that we had to walk in unison, stop together, curtsy together, do the three steps forward togetherâ¦ itâs hard enough to do on your own, never mind on crutches and with someone else. She did say we were the only people all day to make her laugh, so we were quite proud of that.

And the OBE?

It was Prince Charles. He asked to do us separately, which made it a lot more personal. I had just got back from honeymoon the day before. We got married in St Jamesâs Palace and had to ask permission from the Queen. So I got the opportunity to thank him for letting me get married in his house.

Did the âthree blondes in a boatâ tag diminish the achievement?

If I introduce myself as a name, a sailor or a yngling sailor, people are none the wiser, if I say: âI was one of the three blondes in a boat,â there is instant recognition. It really helped us as we are in a sport that not many people know. And if we were three dizzy blondes, I doubt we would have won it.

Is there a secret compartment for make-up on the boat?

Iâm afraid not. Itâs a bit difficult in yngling as the water goes right over you. With the best make-up in the world we would still come in.